Spinner sled



Feb. 2s, 1933. M REN 1,899,103

SPINNER SLED I Filed Feb. 1 4, 1930- 2 sheets-sheet 1 lInventor v Ma/EL 05E/EN.

Q By @maa/15M A torney Feb. 282.1933. M, oBfRlEN 1,899,103

SPINNER SLED Filed Feb. 14, 1930 2 Shets-Sheet 2 In vehtor Patented Feb. 28, .1933

PATENT OFFICE MICHAEL O". BIR'I}E21\T, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS SPINNER sLnD Application led February 14, 1930. Serial No. 428,429.

The present invention relates to a spinner sled and has for its prime object to provide a structure particularly adapted for the Eliv amusement of children whereby they may impart a spinning movement to a sled when coasting thereon.

Another very important object of the invention resides in the provision of a sled of this nature which is extremely simple in its construction, inexpensive to manufacture, strong and durable, easy to manipulate, thoroughly eiiicient and reliable in use and operation, and otherwise well'adapted to the 1'5` purpose for which it is designed'.

With the above and numerous other 'objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter more vfully described and claimed. l

In the drawings: Figure l is a vertical longitudinal sectional'view rvthrough a sled equipped with my invention and showing the same in operative position.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof,

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section therethrough.

Figure 4 is a Vfragmentary longitudinal vertical section therethrough with the parts in inoperative position in full lines, and

VFigure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Figure Referring to the drawings in detail it will be seen that the numeral 5 denotes a platform withk sidesV 6 depending therefrom which curve upwardly at their front ends and having runners 7 on their lower edges.V`

The structure thus far described 1s conventional. The yplatform 5 is provided adjacent its front end witha longitudinally eX- tending slot-8. A rocker shaft S comprises f ends 9 which are rockable in the central upper portions yof the sidesand mergeinto inwardly and downwardly inclined portions 1,0 which in turn merge into horizontal por- 0. tions 11 which merge into the ends of a U- shaped portion 12 the sides of which areV Vpantof the sled inv order'to providejthe preferably'in abutment and this portion 12 forms a fulcrum member on the end zof crank formed by the portions 11.

An operatingV rod 14 is bifurcated at one end andterminates in bearings 1'5 circumjacent the portion 11. The rod 1/1 includes r an upstanding extension 16 disposed f lthrough 'the slot 8 and this portion 1- 6 merges into a rearwardly directed extension 17 havy ing an upstanding terminal on which is disposed a handle'18.

`A spring clip 2() is kmounted under the central' portion ofthe platform to receive the rod y17 when the parts are disposed iny inoperative pos-itionas isshown in Figure/i.

From the above detailed description fit will be seen that my improved structure can be 'installed in a large number of sleds now`r used by children in -*a very economical manner because of its simplicity in constructiony andthe limited number of its parts. This sled with my improvement is a human driven device operated by the Occupantl only in aneasy and expeditious manner;l

- In use of the sled, a child lies in a prone position upon the :platform 5, and normally the runners of the sled travel over the icy surface ywhen coasting thereover. When it` is desired to place the sled into a spin, vthe operator pulls backward u-pon'the handle 18 which in `turn swings the crank shaft S to Lan `operative position whereupon the fulcruni runner or pivot memberlZ'engages the icy surface. TheL operator pulls back upon thev handle a suiiicient distance to causethefulcrum runner to lift the runners ofthe sled abovey the icy 'surface and by manipulation ofthe occupants legs and body, thesled may be lcaused to rotate or spin with'the memberlQ acting yas the pivot. It will of course be understood that a certain amount of skill is required on the part of the occunecessary balance. f

When the occupant desires `to -go from a spinning y to a forward `-motion Aitv cani :be easily done by moving the handle forwardly thereby dropping the revolving sled on the ice andthen it can lbe steered in any direci60 .e

tion desired, the same as the average type toy or amusement sled is used at present.

When the sled is decreasing in speed the arm can be again operated very easily because when the handle is drawn back, the point or bottom end of the arm comes in contact with the ice. The slightest forward motion ofthe weight of the sled and the occupant is sufficient to raise it on the arm and the sled is again in a revolving motion and can again be operated as before and repeated as often as wanted Without the occupant leaving the sled. This device, of course, is principally to be used as a toy or plaything for children and can be used on frozen ponds, city parks, school playgrounds or small spaces because it can revolve in its own diameter or length. When it is not desired to use my attachment improvement it will be seen that the handle may be drawn to its foremost position which will cause the rod 14 to engage in the clip 20.

It is thought that the construction, operation, utility and advantages of this invention will now be quite apparent to those skilled in this art without a more detailed description thereof. Y

The present embodiment of thel invention has been described in `considerable detail f merely for the purposes of exemplification 'Y claimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

since in actual practice it attains the featuresY of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description. Y Y

It will be apparent that changes in the details of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit' or scopey of the invention as hereinafter Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In a sled having a platform supported upon spaced parallel runners, a crank shaft journaled in bearings beneath said platform approximately midway between the ends of the same, a fulcrum member extending angularly fromthe crank portion of said crank shaft, an actuating link pivoted to 'said crank shaft for actuating the same to move crank shaft for actuating the same to move said fulcrum member to an inoperative positionl inward of the tread portions of the runners or to an operative position beyond the same, said actuating link extending forwardly and upwardly through a slot in said platform, and a handle on the free end of said link, and a-resilient clip mounted on` the under side of said platform to receive and'hold said link in an inoperative position when moved into engagement therewith.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. i MICHAEL OBRIEN.

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